Ceiling collapse at building in Syrian capital kills two workers

The ceiling of a landmark building from the 1800s under renovation in Syria's capital collapsed Wednesday, killing two workers and injuring several others, state media reported.

Rescuers were searching for workers still trapped in the rubble of the building, known as the Grand Serail, in the central Marjeh Square of Damascus, state news agency SANA said.

The search is complicated by a reluctance to use heavy machinery out of fear that the building might collapse, SANA quoted the head of the Syrian Civil Defense in Damascus, Hasan al-Hassan, as saying.

The building, dating to the late 19th century when Syria was part of the Ottoman Empire, has in the past been used as offices for the Interior Ministry.

When Syria's long-time autocratic dictator, President Bashar al-Assad, was removed from power by rebels last December during the country's civil war, parts of the building were damaged in a fire.

Syria's 14-year conflict, which began after a regime crackdown on pro-democracy protests, left half a million people dead, and critics say it kept Assad's regime from doing necessary renovation work to state institutions and infrastructure.

"The old regime neglected this building for years," Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba told reporters outside the building.